Latin Beat Slows...so Will Midem

Blame it on Latin America's economic woes: The annual Midem music industry conference in Miami Beach plans to cut back because of slowing business in the Latin American region.

Details won't be announced until later this week, but Midem's attorney in Miami said on Monday that conference organizers are looking to scale back the size of the four-day event that attracted about 3,000 people this year, or possibly reduce its frequency.

"Midem wants to come back," said David Bercuson, an entertainment lawyer who helped France's Reed Midem Organization launch its annual Latin and Caribbean conference in Miami three years ago. "But they're concerned about the ability of their clients to do business."

An economic slump has slowed music sales to Latin America this year and even made it tough for some executives to travel from the region to attend Midem in Miami, Bercuson said. In addition, many small- and medium-size companies from Central and South America proved less sophisticated than expected and did not generate the volume of licensing deals that global music publishers, record labels and others had anticipated, said Bercuson.

The upshot for South Florida will be smaller spending by Midem participants. Bercuson estimated that the four-day event this year pumped $20 million into the South Florida economy, from concert technicians to hotels, car rentals to shopping, and other spinoffs.